Only If You Hold Me
by True Ink
Summary: Godric attempts to teach Eric to swim. Short and fluffy, with just a dash of mild slash. Rated M just to be safe.


_So, I decided to post another Godric/Eric story. This one is just fluff, with a dash of slash. Thank you, those who read "Under The Moon," and left a review. To Emmy, who left an amazing anonymous review, in case you're reading this: Thank you for your kind words. It seems like you and I have the exact same opinions of how a nice Godric/Eric story should be. I too am a bit (very) tired of all the OCs, and vulnerable!Eric/protective!Godric is a mix I can't say no to_.

**Only If You Hold Me**

Godric looked up at the starry sky, enjoying the warm summer breeze. The slippery cliffs that stooped down into the deep lake were cool under his feet, but the water wouldn't be uncomfortably cold. He couldn't really understand what Eric was fussing about.

He turned around to face his child, who was sitting with his arms clasped around his knees, staring at the water.

"Eric, get in." He gestured towards the dark water. "You're being ridiculous." Eric just shook his head stubbornly and kept eying the water defiantly. Godric sighed, but forced himself not to be angry with him. Shouting rarely helped when it came to Eric. Instead he walked up to his child and sat down next to him, reaching out to gently tuck a strand of blond hair behind his ear.

"Beloved," he said softly, finally gaining eye contact with his young child. "What is wrong?"

"I…" Eric began, but trailed off, his eyes slipping to the lake again. "I just don't like… water." Godric couldn't help chuckling at this.

"I thought Vikings spent most of their time on the sea?"

"This is different," Eric mumbled, looking absent. He didn't even react to Godric teasing him, but was just staring at the same spot as before. Godric furrowed his brow in confusion; he too turning to look at the water to see if there was something he had missed that could seem frightening. The black surface was calm and, the surrounding trees reflected in the mirror. Seeing nothing but this, he looked at Eric again, troubled over his child's apathetic mood. After a long silence, and a lot of thinking, he finally caught on.

"Eric." The blond vampire glanced at his maker. "You can't swim, can you?"

"No," Eric admitted and shook his head. Godric stood up and offered a hand to his child

"I'll teach you." Eric took his hand and rose, still with a uneasy look in his eyes. Godric led him to the edge of the rock, where the water began. He knew that Eric would never admit that he was afraid of water, yet he could feel his reluctance through their bond.

"Put your arms around my neck," he said, nudging his shoulder. Eric did as he was told, obedient for once, and Godric in turn wrapped his arms tightly around his waist. It wasn't really necessary holding him so close, but Godric enjoyed having Eric's lean, muscular body pressed against him.

He lifted them into the air, soaring out to the middle of the lake, before slowly lowering them down in the water. It was cold, but not unpleasantly so, and Godric enjoyed the feeling of being engulfed by it. Eric became nervous, and the moment the water reached his neck, he wrapped his legs around Godric's hips and tightened the grip around his neck, clinging to him.

"It's okay Eric," he smiled and hugged his waist to show that he wasn't about to let go. "I won't drop you."

"You better not," Eric mumbled and looked around, as if he was expecting that the water would do some kind of outfall.

Godric just laughed and kicked, sending them shooting backwards in the water. Eric made a high pitched, very uncharacteristic sound and clung tighter to him. Just to tease his child, Godric repeated this a few times, until Eric finally put his pride aside.

"Stop," he yelped, and Godric did. He treaded water to keep the afloat, but stayed still other than that. Eric glared at him, but he just gave him a smirk in return.

The young vampire huffed, "It's not fair that you tease me when I'm clingy and needy."

"I'm sorry." Godric kissed him. "I'll make it up to you."

"By getting us up on dry land?" Eric wondered hopefully.

"Not yet," he said. His blonde child pouted. "Water can be very nice," Godric assured. "Just try to relax now." Eric hesitated, but after a while, he unwillingly released Godric's hips, still holding his arms locked around his maker's neck.

"See." Godric smiled. "Still afloat." Being able to move more freely without Eric's legs around him, he began to swim slowly, mostly to keep them above the water. After a few minutes, Eric finally began to relax in his arms, and his before slightly desperate grip around his neck loosened. He laid his head against Godric's chest and glanced up at the sky instead of staring suspiciously at the water.

"This isn't so bad," he admitted as he gazed up at the stars. "It's actually… kind of nice."

"Told you so," Godric smirked. "Now try to move your legs like this." Eric studied him and attempted to do the same movements. He struggled a bit, it was hard to swim when you clung to someone as if your life depended on it, but after a while, he got the hang of it. Godric watched, feeling very pleased with his child.

"You're doing really good," he told Eric. "Now if you just move your arms a little-" he shifted his grip around Eric, and the next moment Eric was back to holding his neck in a convulsive grip.

"Don't let me go. I'll sink!"

"I won't," he tried to calm his child. "And it's not like you could drown anyway." Eric just clung tighter to him.

"Shh," Godric soothed. "It's okay. I'm not letting you go. Just move your own arms, I'll keep you afloat." Hesitantly, Eric released him.

"I'm not sinking," he said, and Godric couldn't help laughing at the stunned expression on his face.

"If I had known water made you this clingy, I would have taken you swimming long ago."

Eric shot him a glare and splashed water at him.

They spent almost an hour in the lake before Godric decided that it was time to seek shelter for the day. Of course by then, Eric had become very comfortable swimming, and wasn't at all keen on the idea of leaving the water. He was a fast learner, and after getting over the initial fright, it hadn't taken long before he could move around freely in the water. Although he kept close to his maker, just to be safe. He didn't trust the water completely yet.

Godric wasn't sure if Eric wanted to keep playing in the water just to tease him, it sure felt like that at the moment.

"Just a little longer," Eric said and gave his maker a pleading look as he swam up to him and grabbed him by the waist.

"No Eric," he said, trying to be stern with his child for once. "You are cold, and dawn is coming." Eric squirmed a little, mostly to show his disapproval, but once he'd realize he was getting nowhere, he gave up and let himself be pulled out of the water and up onto the cliff.

"Isn't it a bit illogical to put on these?" he held up his blood soaked clothes. "I'll get just as bloody as I was before." Godric smirked and picked up his own clothes, which were not nearly as bloodied.

"Guess you'll have to go naked. " He turned and set off in vampire speed into the darkness.

Eric raised an eyebrow and shook his head at his maker's behavior, before following him.

He found Godric in their cave, already sitting on their makeshift bed of furs. His maker smiled at him and threw a blanket at him.

"Here. You're all wet."

Eric wiped off the water from his shoulders, moving the fabric down over his chest and lower abdomen. He was very aware of Godric looking at him, and couldn't resist giving his maker a seductive smile.

"Seeing something you like?"

"Oh yes." Godric smirked. "You without clothes make a very nice view."

Eric brought a hand up to his head and threaded his fingers through his hair, sighing at the knots he found in it.

"These will take forever to get out," he muttered as he tugged in the long locks, wincing slightly at the pain. Godric chuckled fondly.

"Come here," he said and held out his arms. Eric moved to the bed, and Godric pulled him down onto his lap. With nimble fingers, he began to untangle his child's long hair, careful not to tug in it. Eric relaxed and enjoyed the feeling of his maker's fingers raking softly against his scalp.

"You have beautiful hair," Godric mumbled as he removed the last knot and stroked away the blond strands from Eric's face. "You look like an angel." Although Eric really shouldn't appreciate being compared to an angel –it wasn't something a Viking should look like- he found himself loving it. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his maker's lips, needing Godric to understand that. Godric kissed him back, holding him closer against his strong chest. His skin was warm, and Eric realized that for the first time since he became a vampire, he was feeling cold. His maker sensed this, and rubbed his back in an attempt to warm him up.

"We shouldn't have stayed in the water for so long," Godric stated, and a troubled wrinkle appeared between his eyebrows. "You're cold."

"You worry too much," Eric sighed as he was pulled down onto the furs and tucked in under the many blankets.

"Can you blame me?" Godric asked and lay down next to him. "My little trouble magnet." He grew serious, and something dark flashed by in his eyes. "I will always worry about you," he whispered and trailed a finger down Eric's face, caressing his cheek softly. "It would kill me if something happened to you." Eric took his hand and placed a light kiss on his knuckles.

"Nothing will happen to me," he promised, closing his eyes as exhaustion rolled over him. Godric smiled tenderly and wrapped his arms around his sleepy child, pulling him close.

"I will never let anyone hurt you."

A small smile tugged at Eric's lips, and he buried his face in the crook of Godric's neck. He didn't mind Godric being overprotective, even though he didn't want to admit it.

_Review:) If you liked it and want more Godric/Eric stories, tell me. I love writing them. _


End file.
